Nutrition programs inspired by the bodybuilding and fitness world have a reputation for being bland: chicken and broccoli, eggs and oatmeal, tilapia and vegetables, and so on.
"Effective, but boring" is the frequent complaint... but it doesn't have to be that way.
You can eat delicious food and still get the lean and healthy body you want. In fact, once you understand and apply this, your biggest challenge may be trying not to feel guilty about your food tasting so good, while you drop the fat and gain lean muscle.
Nutritious Food Can Be Delicious Food
There's a persistent myth about fat-burning nutrition that if it's health food, it must taste bad, or the flipside, that if something tastes good, you shouldn't eat it. Even the fitness legend, Jack LaLanne said that (one of my idols, so God bless him, even if his well-meaning advice wasn't quite accurate).
This myth was probably perpetuated because many athletes - especially bodybuilders and physique athletes - choose to eat very plain and simple diets, which makes it easy to prepare the food, follow the plan, and track the numbers. Many fitness and physique champions feel that eating 100% "clean" gives them psychological advantages as well.
The truth is, as long as you hit your calorie and macronutrient goals for day (the highest priorities in the hierarchy of importance), you can do as much cooking as you want and as much spicing as your taste buds desire. You can enjoy delicious meals every day if that's important to you. If not, you can keep your meal plans plain and simple.
How to use this recipe list and find more
Because everyone has different tastes in food, you'll surely want to experiment with your own recipes in the future. However, to get you off to a quick start, below, I give you the 10 the most popular Burn the Fat recipes, as voted by members of the Burn the Fat community. Some of these recipes, like the high protein apple cinnamon oatmeal pancake, are so popular, they've become almost "legendary."
All recipe ingredients are listed here on the page below, along with links to the recipe department if you want the full recipe, nutrition information, and cooking instructions.
These recipes are simple and easy to prepare. You don't have to be a professional chef. I've made all of these recipes myself, and I've never had a day of formal cooking instruction in my life. For years, I was also one of those "plain chicken and broccoli" people, not to mention a self-confessed "kitchen dummy" who was too intimidated to even try anything more complicated than microwaving my oatmeal. If I can learn how to cook, anyone can. Enjoy!
1. High Protein Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes
- ¾ cup Quaker quick oats or old-fashioned oatmeal
- 4 egg whites (1 whole egg optional)
- 1/2 apple, diced
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 Tsp. cinnamon
- 2 packets splenda or stevia (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, coat pan with nonstick spray and pour in mixture. Cook on medium heat. When one side is lightly browned and solid enough to flip, turn the pancake over with a spatula and cook the other side until lightly browned and firm.
2. Beefy Spanish Rice
- 2 cups long grain brown rice, cooked
- 12 oz lean ground beef
- 1 green bell pepper (approx 4.5 oz)
- 1 large yellow onion (approx 10.5 oz / 2 cups chopped)
- One 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp thyme
- Dash of Black pepper
- Dash of Garlic powder
- Tabasco sauce to taste (optional)
- Worcestershire sauce to taste (optional)
Cook rice (rice cooker or stovetop). Spray large deep saute pan with nonstick cooking spray. Chop the onions and green peppers, and sauté them until they begin to soften. Add the ground beef, stirring until evenly browned. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato pace. Add spices (thyme, black pepper and garlic powder) to your liking. Add Worcestershire sauce for additional flavor and or Tabasco sauce to make hot and spicy. Stir in the rice and serve.
3. Lazy Person's Mexican Eggs
- 1 whole egg
- 5 egg whites
- 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1/4 cup salsa
- Chili powder to taste
Coat a pan with non stick cooking spray. Whisk your egg whites, whole egg(s) and cheese together in a mixing bowl. Scramble your cheesey eggs in pan until done. Top with salsa and chili powder (chili powder optional - a hot spicy salsa often does the trick). Alternate method: scramble eggs alone. When finished, put cooked eggs on plate, sprinkle shredded cheese over top, top with salsa and microwave for 30-60 seconds to heat salsa and melt cheese.
4. TNT Burgers
- 1 lb. (454 g) 99% fat free ground turkey
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup (40 g) crumbled shredded wheat
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 2 tbsp horseradish mustard
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp parsley flakes
- dash of pepper
- dash of salt
Place turkey, egg whites and crumbled shredded wheat in mixing bowl. Finely dice celery and onion (or chop in food processor) and add 1/2 cup of each to mixture. Add spices and seasonings. Mix the ingredients thoroughly with fork, then form into four patties with your hands. Cook on a grill, grill pan, or for fastest cooking, use a George Foreman Grill (takes about 4-5 minutes to cook).
5. Yamcakes
- 4 egg whites
- ½ cup oatmeal
- ¼ cup skim milk
- 6 oz yam, mashed, skinned
- 3 tablespoons whole wheat/flax pancake mix (approx 40 grams)
- 1 scoop plain or vanilla flavor protein powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp maple extract
Microwave or bake your yam and then remove the skin (alternately, used canned). Place yam and all other ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If you don't have a food processor or blender, simply mix and whisk with a fork until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Your mixture should not be too liquid, but rather thick. Heat skillet to medium and pour mixture onto the pan or griddle to form 2 small pancakes. Cook on medium-low to medium and keep a close eye on them as they cook quickly and the outside burns easily. Flip the pancakes as soon as the bottom side firm enough to flip; it should be lightly browned. Cook the other side until firm and lightly browned.
6. Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
- 1/2 can (212 g) of pumpkin
- 2/3 cup (54 g) oatmeal dry
- 1 scoop (26 g) vanilla protein powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- Sweetner (optional)
Scoop out 2/3 of a cup of natural (unsweetened) oatmeal and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Add water as per oatmeal cooking instructions, add the canned pumpkin to the oatmeal and stir. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until cooked. For highest protein version, stir in vanilla protein powder. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract (optional). Sweetener is optional.
7. Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry
- 1.5 cups brown rice
- 10 oz skinless chicken breast
- 4 oz carrots, sliced (approx 1 cup)
- 6 oz green pepper, chopped (approx 1 cup))
- 1 cup mushrooms, pieces/sliced (approx 1 cup)
- 6 oz onion, chopped (approx 1 cup / 1/2 lg)
- 4 tbsp Teriyaki sauce, sugar free (or your favorite brand/recipe)
Begin cooking the rice in a pot or a rice cooker first, allowing for 30-40 minute rice cooking time. After the rice has started cooking, prepare a large, deep sauté pan or a wok by lightly coating the surface with non stick cooking spray. Chop chicken breast into small squares/pieces and add to pan. Heat on medium until no longer pink. Chop and add carrots, green pepper, onion and mushrooms (portabella or regular). Simmer on medium heat and stir regularly. When the vegetables and chicken are cooked, scoop out 1.5 cups of rice and add to the pan/wok. Add teriyaki sauce and stir into the mixture. Serve and enjoy.
8. Pumpcakes
- 7.5 oz (212 g) of canned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup (27 g) oatmeal dry
- 1/3 cup (40 g) multigrain or whole wheat pancake mix
- 1 scoop (26 g) vanilla (or plain) protein powder
- 4 egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly with a fork. For a finely mixed batter, put the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pre heat a non stick skillet on medium heat, or use a large griddle. Pour the pancake mixture onto the pan or griddle to form 2 large pancakes. Flip each pancake as soon as it is firm enough to flip and the bottom side is lightly brown. Cook on medium heat and keep a close eye on them as they cook quickly and the outside burns easily.
9. Greek Omelette
- 4 egg whites
- 1 whole egg (preferably omega-3 egg)
- 1.0 cups spinach, chopped
- 8 olives, pitted and slivered
- ¼ cup low fat feta cheese
Prepare your ingredients: slice your olives, chop and measure your spinach, and measure out your feta cheese. Spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray and then pre-heat your pan on medium. Break eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk. Pour your eggs into the pan and add spinach. Mix gently until spinach is wilted. Add the feta and olives and mix again. Serve by itself for low-calorie, low-carb meal, or serve with fruit, whole grain toast or oatmeal on the side.
10. Healthy Fried Rice
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 whole egg
- 4 oz top round steak (optional/high protein version)
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup mushrooms, pieces/sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions (green onions)
- Garlic powder to taste
- 1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
Begin cooking the rice in a pot or a rice cooker first, allowing for 30-40 minute rice cooking time, or as per instructions. After the rice has started cooking, prepare a large, deep sauté pan or a wok by lightly coating the surface with non stick cooking spray. Heat on medium and add the chopped green onions and mushrooms. For the high protein version, cut your beef into small cubes and add to the pan or wok. Add the eggs and stir. Watch closely to avoid burning and turn to medium-low once eggs are cooked. When the rice is finished, scoop out a cup and stir the rice into the mixture. Add garlic powder and light soy sauce to taste. Serve and enjoy.
Want More Recipes That Burn Fat And Feed Muscle?
The recipes listed above were voted the most popular for our Burn the Fat recipe collection. There are a LOT more where these came from - dozens in the Burn the Fat recipe department - it's like an online recipe book!
Plus, there are hundreds more submitted by members in the Burn the Fat Inner Circle recipe forum.
Burn the Fat Inner Circle members can access all the recipes here:
Burn the Fat Recipe Department (members only)
//www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/members/department33.cfm
Burn the Fat Recipe Forum (members only)
//www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/members/cfmbb/threads.cfm?forumid=EB651F7B-1C23-CDDA-753EFC70AC5DD586
